This invention relates generally to body belts, harnesses, and the like which are worn by workers to prevent falls. More particularly, the present invention relates to safety devices having one or more lanyards which connect or tie off with a fixed object.
In hazardous occupations and work conditions, body belts and body harnesses have long been employed by workers to reduce the potential for serious falls. Such body belts and body harnesses come in a wide variety of styles, types and configurations. Conventionally, a safety belt is secured around the waist of the worker. A lanyard connects to the safety belt for securement around a fixed object. A number of conventional body belts to which the invention relates employ generally D-shaped pivotal ring members which are connected to the belt wrapped around the worker's waist. The lanyard is then connected between the pivotal D-ring members. Releasable snap hooks, which employ a releasable keeper securable in a locked position, are attached at the ends of the lanyard and are engagable with the D-ring member for connecting the lanyard back into the body belt.
Despite a number of designed safety features of conventional body belts, the connection of the lanyard to the body belt is not always feasible or desirable. Connecting to other than a D-ring may present a potential for accidental disengagement. Connecting more than one snap hook to a single D-ring is undesirable because a binding condition may occur which allows pressure to be applied to the safety mechanism causing accidental roll out. Under certain unusual and intense load conditions, it is possible that conventional lanyards connected to other than a D-ring may encounter a "roll-out" condition due to the positioning of the lanyard line over the snap hook safety mechanism or may result in binding or damaging the lanyard and/or safety mechanism. While "roll-out" conditions are quite infrequent and can be prevented by the worker observing certain safety precautions, the consequences of an actual "roll-out" condition are potentially life threatening.